Command Tower MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 71 setsSee all |
Rarity | Common |
Type | Land |
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
When defeat is near and guidance is scarce, all eyes look in one direction.
Cards like Command Tower
Command Tower stands out as a staple in any multicolored Commander deck for Magic: The Gathering aficionados. It shares similarities with cards like Mana Confluence and City of Brass, which also provide mana of any color. However, Command Tower has a significant advantage – it doesn’t cost life to use its ability. This marks a stark contrast with Mana Confluence and City of Brass, both of which exact a life point toll for their versatile mana.
Another card with resemblances to Command Tower is Exotic Orchard. Exotic Orchard can tap for any color of mana that a land an opponent controls could produce. While this card’s potential is determined by opponents’ lands, Command Tower’s utility is solely based on the player’s own deck, making it more consistent in a multicolor Commander deck. Reflecting Pool is yet another land that can mirror the abilities of other lands, but its effectiveness is again contingent on having other sources of mana colors, unlike the inherent reliability of Command Tower.
Evaluating these alternatives highlights Command Tower’s intrinsic value in providing consistent, pain-free mana in diverse Commander decks, solidifying its esteemed position in the Magic: The Gathering realm.
Cards similar to Command Tower by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Command Tower offers exceptional mana flexibility by tapping to provide one mana of any color in your commander’s color identity. This seamless access can help keep your hand flowing with the cards you need without the drawback of entering the battlefield tapped or costing life points.
Resource Acceleration: Being able to tap for any color your commander represents, Command Tower acts as a powerful resource accelerator. It fuels multicolored decks by eliminating mana shortages that could otherwise slow down your gameplay.
Instant Speed: Though Command Tower itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, having it on the battlefield means you can effortlessly cast instant speed spells with diverse mana requirements. Its presence ensures you’re always ready to react to opponents’ moves or exploit opportunities at a moment’s notice.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One aspect of Command Tower that could be considered a con is that it doesn’t necessitate a discard, differentiating it less from basic lands in formats where color-fixing isn’t as crucial. This makes it less strategic and more of a straightforward addition without cost-benefit considerations.
Specific Mana Cost: While Command Tower can tap for any color of mana in a commander’s color identity, it doesn’t address the fact that it can’t produce colorless mana, something increasingly relevant with the rise of powerful colorless cards that require specific colorless mana to cast.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Command Tower doesn’t have a mana cost itself, it may not always be as cost-effective in a two-colored deck versus a similar land that enters untapped, since the color-fixing advantage is less significant, creating situations where a basic land or another dual land might serve the same purpose without taking up a non-basic slot.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Command Tower is a staple in any multicolored Commander deck. Its ability to tap for any color in your commander’s color identity ensures your mana base is always optimized, making it a must-have for ensuring smooth gameplay.
Combo Potential: The seamless mana fixing of Command Tower can be critical for enabling combos. It simplifies the color requirements for multi-colored combo pieces, letting you execute your win conditions more reliably.
Meta-Relevance: With Commander being a socially-driven format that’s constantly evolving, Command Tower maintains its relevancy by providing effortless color fixing in a meta where mana efficiency can make or break a game.
How to Beat Command Tower
Within the multiplayer format of Commander in Magic: The Gathering, the Command Tower card stands out for its simple yet powerful ability to tap for one mana of any color in your commander’s color identity. Its utility in providing color fixing effortlessly makes it a staple in nearly any multicolored EDH deck, allowing players to cast spells more consistently.
To counteract Command Tower, one strategy is to use land disruption. Cards like Strip Mine or Ghost Quarter can directly remove the Tower from the battlefield, momentarily disrupting an opponent’s mana base. Alternatively, Blood Moon can effectively neutralize the usefulness of Command Tower by turning it into a basic Mountain, thus limiting the player’s access to other colors and hindering their ability to cast multicolored spells.
While direct removal is one avenue, another is to focus on a more strategic long-term disruption through cards like Aven Mindcensor, which limits the ability to search for nonbasic lands like Command Tower. Efficient use of counterspells and resource denial strategies can also prove crucial when playing against decks that heavily rely on their Command Tower for mana fixing.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Command Tower MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Command Tower and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Command Tower Magic the Gathering card was released in 44 different sets between 2011-06-17 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 21 different artists.
Show/hide all sets# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 47979 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | ||
2 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 86088 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | ||
3 | 2011-06-17 | Commander 2011 | CMD | 269 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
4 | 2012-11-02 | Commander's Arsenal | CM1 | 2 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | |
5 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 281 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
6 | 2015-11-13 | Commander 2015 | C15 | 281 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
7 | 2015-11-18 | Legendary Cube Prize Pack | PZ1 | 137 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | |
8 | 2016-11-11 | Commander 2016 | C16 | 286 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
9 | 2017-06-09 | Commander Anthology | CMA | 245 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
10 | 2017-08-25 | Commander 2017 | C17 | 242 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
11 | 2018-06-08 | Commander Anthology Volume II | CM2 | 242 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
12 | 2018-08-09 | Commander 2018 | C18 | 240 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
13 | 2019-08-23 | Commander 2019 | C19 | 237 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
14 | 2019-10-04 | Throne of Eldraine | ELD | 333 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
15 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 1496 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Dani Pendergast | ||
16 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 758 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jubilee | ||
17 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 677 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Kevin Gnutzmans | ||
18 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 744 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Serena Malyon | ||
19 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 710 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Joana LaFuente | ||
20 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 697 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Riot Games | ||
21 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 792 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Kamila Szutenberg | ||
22 | 2020-04-17 | Commander 2020 | C20 | 264 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
23 | 2020-08-13 | Arena Beginner Set | ANB | 118 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
24 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising Commander | ZNC | 124 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
25 | The List | PLST | C21-284 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | ||
26 | The List | PLST | MIC-170 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | ||
27 | The List | PLST | CMD-269 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | ||
28 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 350 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
29 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 705 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
30 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 479 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
31 | 2021-02-05 | Kaldheim Commander | KHC | 108 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
32 | 2021-04-23 | Commander 2021 | C21 | 284 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
33 | 2021-07-23 | Forgotten Realms Commander | AFC | 230 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
34 | 2021-09-24 | Midnight Hunt Commander | MIC | 170 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
35 | 2021-11-19 | Crimson Vow Commander | VOC | 172 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
36 | 2022-01-28 | Commander Collection: Black | CC2 | 8 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Julian Kok Joon Wen | |
37 | 2022-02-18 | Neon Dynasty Commander | NEC | 167 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
38 | 2022-04-29 | New Capenna Commander | NCC | 395 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
39 | 2022-06-10 | Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate | CLB | 351 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Muhammad Firdaus | |
40 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United Commander | DMC | 204 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
41 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 270 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Logan Feliciano | |
42 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 270★ | 2015 | Normal | Black | Logan Feliciano | |
43 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 271★ | 2015 | Normal | Black | Games Workshop | |
44 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 272★ | 2015 | Normal | Black | Games Workshop | |
45 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 272 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Games Workshop | |
46 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 271 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Games Workshop | |
47 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Commander | BRC | 178 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
48 | 2023-02-03 | Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander | ONC | 151 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
49 | 2023-04-21 | March of the Machine Commander | MOC | 396 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
50 | 2023-05-08 | From Cute to Brute | PCTB | 67 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
51 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 301 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sean Vo | |
52 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 420 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
53 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 659 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Donato Giancola | |
54 | Commander Masters Art Series | ACMM | 47 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | |||
55 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine Commander | WOC | 156 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
56 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 263 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Hector Ortiz | |
57 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 856 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Pierre Loyvet | |
58 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 857 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Henry Peters | |
59 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 854 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Hector Ortiz | |
60 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 855 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sean Vo | |
61 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 264 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sean Vo | |
62 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 265 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Pierre Loyvet | |
63 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 266 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Henry Peters | |
64 | 2023-11-17 | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander | LCC | 325 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Evan Shipard | |
65 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 256 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
66 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 360 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | AKQA | |
67 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 259 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Gabriel Tanko | |
68 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 888 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | AKQA | |
69 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 787 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Gabriel Tanko | |
70 | 2024-04-19 | Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander | OTC | 280 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee | |
71 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 Commander | M3C | 331 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Yee |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Command Tower has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Historicbrawl | Legal |
Historic | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Paupercommander | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Gladiator | Legal |
Alchemy | Legal |
Pioneer | Legal |
Commander | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Pauper | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Explorer | Legal |
Brawl | Legal |
Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Command Tower card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2020-11-10 | If you don't have a commander, Command Tower's ability produces no mana. |
2020-11-10 | If you have two commanders, the ability adds one mana of any color in their combined color identities. |
2020-11-10 | If your commander is a card that has no colors in its color identity, Command Tower's ability produces no mana. It doesn't produce . |